THE SEARCH FOR SHALOM

A Christian author offers advice for the faithful on how to obtain peace.

In the book’s opening lines, Dickerson writes that “we live in a state of war,” as international, political, interpersonal, and even internal conflict define life in the 21st century. A devout Christian, Dickerson traces the roots of contemporary fears and anxiety to Satan, “the prince of scammers,” who has deceived people into following false avenues of obtaining inner peace. The author contends that the idolatry of pursuing money, nurturing grudges, and refusing to offer forgiveness plague modern society at all levels, from the personal to the geopolitical. True and “deep inner peace” (or “shalom” in Hebrew), the book argues, comes only from Jesus. Thus, the author is adamant this it is “not a self-help book,” as he believes “self-guided efforts” without the help of Jesus are doomed to fail. It does, though, provide practical advice to the Christian faithful on how to find peace by following in the footsteps of Jesus and his followers. Using biblical anecdotes, such as examples of Matthew the Tax Collector, Simon the Zealot, Mary, and Martha, Dickerson makes the case for radical, life-changing love. If warfare is inherently spiritual (a result of the sinfulness of humanity), we can only find victory by using the strategy of Jesus. “His weapons were the cross and selfless love,” writes the author, adding, “he tells us that we must love—even our enemies.”

While profoundly Christian in its approach, the book defies some of the prominent ideas that drive mainstream American evangelicalism. For one, Dickerson is adamant against “the illusion that we are living in a Christian nation that needs to be defended from the ungodly.” Another is his rejection of the trope that after death, “our souls then rise to heaven or sink to hell,” as he connects those notions to Anglo-Saxon paganism. Though the underlying message may not resonate with non-Christian readers, it’s generally ecumenical in referencing Christian authors and perspectives across multiple denominational lines. Its engaging, but learned, prose is rife with references to a range of Christian thinkers from Augustine to modern scholars, and it’s peppered throughout with inspirational illustrations, photographs, poetry, and lyrics to hymns, like the classical Irish song “Be Thou My Vision.” This is a rare work that would appeal to academic, ministerial, and lay Christian audiences alike, featuring both a solid research bibliography and references to pop culture. With a Ph.D. in medieval history from Cornell and an MDiv degree from Princeton, Dickerson has a solid understanding of Christian history and theology that emphasizes nuance and introspection, often calling out Christians themselves for failing to live up to Christ’s message of peace. He frequently draws upon contemporary examples; in discussing Russia’s war against Ukraine, for instance, Dickerson notes how the Russian Orthodox bishop Kirill has used his Church to justify a “holy war” that uses “secular force to impose his version of Christian morality.” Despite its well-written narrative, the book could have used a closer editorial eye; it’s sometimes repetitive, with some sentences appearing word-for-word on different pages. This critique notwithstanding, Dickerson offers Christian readers a thoughtful work that both affirms their faith while challenging them to live up to their religious ideals.

A well-researched, distinctly Christian guidebook for finding peace in an era of violence and anxiety.